Big bacon news, tennis tea and poetic hangovers
What's cooking in Irish food, drink and hospitality this week
I know I missed the newsletter last week - sorry! I was having a bit of time offline in London, enjoying the sunshine, catching up with pals and visiting some old haunts of mine (more on that another time). I know the news cycle doesn't stop so fear not I’ve gone back a few weeks into my inbox and saved tabs to bring you a whopper newsletter… Bon appétit!
Fresh ingredients:
News & stuff I’m excited about
The baking scene in Ireland just keeps getting better - last week Bread 41 opened the doors to their brand new Greystones location on Eden Road in a lovingly restored 1950's Art-Deco style garage. It looks as gorgeous as expected as do the bakes coming from it. Eoin Cluskey baker and founder behind the business was on RTÉ Radio One’s Claire Byrne this week chatting about cookbooks but he also gives a bit of an insight into how Bread 41 happened. It’s a good listen. Over in the Irish Times, however, it seems not everyone is into the bakery boom.
There’s a new-ish wine bar and shop on Sundrive Road in Kimmage called Le Petit Renard. Looks very promising (from looking at their insta).
Meanwhile, on Baggot Street, Neighbourhood Wines have finally opened the doors to their much-anticipated shop here.
Great news for Malahide, Japanese restaurant Daruma is opening there soon. If you’ve not tried their Parliament Street spot yet, please do, it’s great.
Chef Jules Mak, who’s behind Mak in Ranelagh has announced he’s opening Parilla ‘an authentic Mexican grill’ around the corner in the building where Pizza Yard used to be.
In case you missed it - The Fumbally announced they would be closing in August for a few weeks for some rest and re-alignment. When a pioneering business like this, which is seemingly always busy and innovating, tells us the numbers are not adding up it hits home hard. They will be documenting the process in their newsletter over the coming months, sign up here.
It's tough out there so you love to see posts like this from Imbibe Coffee on how they manage a growing business.
Kevin O’Donnell, an Irish chef who’s been cooking in Copenhagen and beyond for the last while, has returned to Ireland with plans to open his own place but so far all he’s teased is Comet, a supper club, testing ground and moveable feast with events coming soon. One to watch.
Bunsen teased a big announcement on their socials - and at first I thought, wow, have they finally decided to do a veggie burger or GF bun. But no. The big news? They’ve added bacon to the menu. You’ve got to admire their dedication to doing what they do and doing it very well.
Hotels around the country have been getting spruced up for the summer season it seems by adding to their food offerings. In Kerry The Dunloe Hotel & Gardens have launched a new Chef’s Table Experience and the Killarney Plaza’s Café du Parc are serving up a Wimbeldon inspired afternoon tea available throughout the summertime tournament (1st – 14th July). In Meath, Trim Castle Hotel has a new Café & Bistro, BoAnn and in Louth, The Gateway Hotel in Dundalk launched a new restaurant, 54 Degrees.
Keen eyes will have spotted the Michelin Guide talking about the food at the uber-luxe hotel Ballyfin - does this mean they might be getting a star next year?
The boom in low and no-alcohol drinks doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. At Beyond The Pale a couple of weeks ago I did a blind taste taste of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks with Holly White. Guinness 0.0 was a clear winner, splitting the tasters down the middle with which was the ‘real’ Guinness. The other drinks we tasted a faux tequila spirit, faux gin and a rosé did not fare well. It seems from my extensive research (this one event) that non-alcoholic beers are knocking it out of the park compared to other NA drinks so it’s no surprise that there’s more and more coming to the market. This last week I came across two new Irish creations - Fierce Mild ‘Ireland’s Bold New Non-Alcoholic Beer’ and Wicklow Wolf’s collab with lifestyle brand Gym + Coffee, a non-alcoholic beer called Make Life Richer that they’ve launched with a Techno Yoga Class.
Congratulations to the finalists of the Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year 2024 awards. The seven finalists will compete in October to see who will be crowned this year’s overall winner.
There’s a new food podcast in town from the dream (and very knowledgable) team Dee Laffan and Oisín Davis. Beár Bia podcast will celebrate Irish food and drink and how to pair them along with meeting and chatting to food and drink producers. The first episode is out now all about Wicklow - Listen here.
Happy Birthday to Thai Garden in Galway, they turned 25 last week!
Dublin-based food and drink producers, fancy winning a €6000 prize for your business? Check out the Lion’s Den 2024, ‘Where Dublin Food & Drink Startups Roar’.
Dates for the Diary:
Tasty things to book ahead
There’s a coffee festival happening this weekend in Birdhill.
Saturday 6th of July is Argentina's Independence Day and celebrations are happening in Dublin at Tailors Hall - with food and drink of course.
The Dining Club at Whitestown House’s next event in July, High Summer sounds great.
The Cookbook Club at IMMA is back for round two on July 21st this time featuring the wonderful cooking of chef Sham Hanifa and celebrating his new book Agak-Agak.
I’ve been working with Roe & Co since the lockdown years to book chefs and restaurants for their Summer Garden and one of my favourite bookings back in 2021(!) was getting Pickle restaurant in there. Chef Sunil Ghai’s food is divine and works so well with Roe’s inventive cocktails, so I’m chuffed that he’s back there for July with a menu from his Greystones outpost, Street by Sunil. Check out the menu and book here.
If you happen to be in Edinburgh, this dinner with Spry Wines & Cúán Greene will be worth booking.
Yoga with a side of deliciousness? If like me you need some convincing to roll out a yoga mat, maybe chef Erica Drum’s food will be it. Drum joins forces with yoga teacher Lucybloom Webb for restorative Food and Yoga retreats all over the country called Yoga Feed. Their next event, which includes wholesome tasty meals and cookery demos, is in the Killary Lodge in Connemara on August 10-13, find out more here.
Looking for free & fun summer activities? DLR launched a series of guided walks and tours including a historic ‘Hotels of Dún Laoghaire Walk’. Northside Glasnevin Cemetery has added extra tours for the summer including the Women in History Tour and Dead Intersting, although these are not free, they are well worth the €14 and the best bit about it? Heading to The Gravediggers after for a pint.
Petit Fours:
Sweet bits to watch, listen, read or obsess over etc.
I love reading Conor Steven’s reviews in Totally Dublin. This week he visited Library Street for the first time and spoiler alert it’s a reminder of just how great a restaurant it is.
Move over Nigella there’s a new roast chicken legend in town - but no one expected it to be Colm Tóibín!
I do like my cocktails on the savoury side, but a Parm-Tini?
Speaking of savoury, how about a Chicken Shawarma Hummus Cake.
Thinking about keeping chickens? Learn from the best at Ballymaloe.
Love cakes? Give Cakes by Emma a follow.
Do you love salmon? Think it’s a ‘superfood’? Sorry, I’m gonna ruin it for you.
I am well known for carrying condiments at all times and now it seems the perfect bag has been created for just this.
When I was in London a few weeks ago I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Janine Ratcliffe of Olive Magazine for their podcast. It was a lot of fun especially as we recorded it in the Devonshire over a few pints! Have a listen here.
Thank you for reading & subscribing! PS - my debut book A Compendium of Irish Pints is out now, available from bookshops nationwide and from Nine Bean Rows.